South China Sea Tag

United States Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel yesterday sharply criticised China for "destabilising, unilateral actions" in asserting its territorial claims in the South China Sea and warned that Washington would not look the other way when fundamental principles of international order are being challenged.
In an hour-long...

The political storm over China’s deployment of an oil rig in the contested waters of the South China Sea made landfall last week. Violent anti-China protests erupted in industrial areas in southern Vietnam, disrupting businesses, damaging property and even drawing blood.
Vietnam’s Nationalistic Response to China’s...

We now know the reactions in Vietnam to China’s move to begin drilling for oil in the South China Sea that both sides claim. More than 20,000 Vietnamese workers spilled out of control, attacking factories thought to be Chinese-owned, including those at two Singapore-run industrial...

When leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations gathered this week in Myanmar, the weather forecast was for high temperatures combined with a chance of storms. The political atmosphere proved similar, with lightning-rod issues converging on the regional group's first summit of the year.
South...

The Philippines, having taken China to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in an attempt to resolve the South China Sea dispute, has put the global spotlight on an issue that has been churning the seas for many years.
While China has refused to be subject to...

The decision of the Philippines to lodge a case on disputed waters in the South China Sea with an international tribunal under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) has been met with strong criticism from China. The Chinese foreign ministry insisted...

Tensions have flared up again between the US and China over the latter’s Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) in the East China Sea. These tensions could dampen US Secretary of State John Kerry’s upcoming talks with China over the air defence zone during his five-day...

China’s new fishing regulations over a disputed swathe of the South China Sea took effect on 1 January, and were promptly criticised by the Philippines and Vietnam. The South-East Asian claimant states demanded that Beijing clarify the new law, which states that all foreign vessels...

The Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN) draws both admirers and detractors — and the recent ministerial meeting hosted by Brunei provided ample evidence for each point of view.
While there were signs of positive movement, thorny obstacles lie on the path ahead. This is especially...

Clues about the emerging character of the new Chinese leadership are emerging from its interaction with the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Following the grouping’s summit last month, China’s new Foreign Minister, Mr Wang Yi, visited the region for the first time. While ties are...